Barbara Lee’s ‘no gimmicks’ Senate run
With help from Jesse Naranjo, Jesús Rodríguez, Rishika Dugyala, Ella Creamer and Teresa Wiltz
What up, Recast family! Politicians on both sides of the aisle descend on the toxic train wreck site in East Palestine, Ohio, a leading GOP candidate gets served some humble pie in Iowa and today marks one year since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Today we’re focusing on the growing list of candidates vying for California’s open Senate seat in 2024.
The contest to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) got a bit more crowded this week.
Longtime Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) made it official in an announcement video this week. She joins fellow Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Adam Schiff in what is expected to be an expensive and hard-fought campaign next year. And because of California’s top-two open primary system, the top two vote-getters in the March 2024 primary, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the general election.
A survey released Thursday by the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies of registered Democrats and no party preference voters in the state found Lee, the longest-serving House member of the trio, trailing significantly behind her colleagues.
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Schiff was polling at 22 percent, while Porter was at 20 percent. Lee registered in the poll at 6 percent, just 2 points higher than another House member, Rep. Ro Khanna, who has not yet publicly announced his decision on whether to seek the seat.
Both Schiff and Porter are white.
Lee, who is Black, tells The Recast her campaign is still in its early days and makes clear that she will lean into her identity, as well as her extensive record, when introducing herself to voters outside her Bay Area district.
She says she is eager to add to the short legacy of Black women serving in the upper chamber, which in its 234-year history has only had two Black women — current Vice President Kamala Harris of California and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.), who combined, served a total of 10 years.
Lee says she will lean into her lived experiences to connect with voters, including speaking openly about her back-alley abortion and her then-controversial stance as the lone vote against the authorization for use of military force days after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
She says of her candidacy: “It’s not just about presenting a record or putting forth a whiteboard or any gimmicks…it’s about really the life experiences and experience as a progressive legislator.”
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
THE RECAST: You are the third major candidate to jump in the California Senate race. Why you and why now?
LEE: Well, first, I filed the day after Sen. Feinstein issued her statement that she was not going to run again. I waited to give her the respect to let the public know what her intentions were.
It’s important, I believe, for what I represent and who I am to be in the Senate.
We need a progressive African American woman in the Senate who brings life experiences, lived experiences to public policy and someone who has always been able to get the job done working with other Democrats, Republicans and in bipartisan ways.
When you look at my experience as it relates to working to move people out of poverty, women’s reproductive justice, my work on climate, my work on cannabis reform, child care, all of the issues that are very important to Californians, I feel that my perspective and my lens coming from my background … it’s about having a voice also to fill the gaps in the Senate.
THE RECAST: You mentioned a point I was gonna get to later, but let’s talk about it now. The Senate over its history has only had two Black women serve, obviously with the last one being Vice President Harris. The Senate currently has no Black women. What is the chamber missing by not having Black woman representation?
LEE: First, a couple of data points.
The first House and Senate went into session in 1789. Since then, there have been two Black women serving in the Senate — a total of 10 years!
That’s Vice President Kamala Harris and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun. Again, 10 years since 1789.
So the Senate is missing what Black women bring in terms of who they are, as it relates to fighting challenges, breaking down barriers and not only bringing the experience with strength, and with perspective, and with in many ways an understanding of what work needs to be done in America to make America live up to this creed of liberty and justice for all. I think the country benefits from a Black woman’s experience, because there’s so many injustices still that we have to address.
THE RECAST: You noted earlier you waited until after Sen. Feinstein made clear she was not running again before you announced. Your competitors in this race, Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, jumped in before Feinstein’s decision was made public. Did you see this as kind of slight or disrespect to her?
LEE: No, everybody has their own way of politicking, their own way of campaigning and their own timeframe.
Mine just happened to be a timeframe where I wanted to make sure Sen. Feinstein had the space, for me at least, to be able to make her formal announcement.
So I can only speak for how I viewed that moment.
THE RECAST: Well, let me ask you about the poll that came out this week from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies showing that you are trailing beyond both Schiff and Porter — this despite there not being a ton of daylight between the three of you as far as voting records are concerned. How do you go about setting yourself apart as you campaign in the most expensive state in the nation?
LEE: Remember I only launched my campaign two days ago, OK?
I think connecting with voters in a way that’s authentic. As a progressive woman, as a progressive black woman, making sure the voters know my history, my experience, making sure they know how I fought for policies … around poverty, for example, lifting them. I’m talking to people about their daily lives.
I think voters can relate to me.
My record has been consistent and I think voters will see the difference.
THE RECAST: Many folks have come to know Katie Porter because of her whiteboards, some of which have gone viral on social media. And many are familiar with Adam Schiff because he was a constant presence on television during the first impeachment of President Trump.
You’ve had some interesting moments in the spotlight as well, including last year when you joined other women lawmakers speaking about your own experiences with abortion. Then decades earlier it was your vote against authorizing the use of military force following the 9/11 attacks. Are these items you plan to highlight as you introduce yourself to voters around California?
LEE: I think voters understand and will know that I have courage. I’ve stood alone, and I’ve had to fight back.
Voters want elected officials to be authentic. They want elected officials to fight for them and to really challenge the status quo, if in fact that needs challenging whether it’s in your own party or the Republicans or whomever.
It’s not just about presenting a record or putting forth a whiteboard or any gimmicks; it’s about really the life experiences and experience as … a progressive legislator who can bring justice and bring real solutions to California’s families in terms of their everyday problems.
I fought for justice and I do the work.
THE RECAST: About that 2001 vote immediately after 9/11: You were labeled a “traitor” for not allowing the Congress to have a unanimous vote on that measure, which was the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history. Tell me about that vote and why you felt the conviction to stand firm on that?
LEE: This was a terrible moment in our country, when President George W. Bush came forward with the overly broad authorization to go to war three days after the terrible attacks.
I couldn’t vote for that. Because what it did — it was 60 words. It gave any president, then President Bush, but any future president, the authority to wage war. Now you see we have forever wars that were created by this authorization. The Iraq authorization came, I believe the next year, which had the 9/11 authorization cited in the first authorization that I voted against.
It was a very terrible time for me. Death threats. Being called a traitor. My opponent was in New York walking with the sign of me, laughing with Rudy Giuliani with the World Trade Towers burning in the background. I mean, it was very painful, but I stood my ground. My dad was a lieutenant colonel in the military, I was raised as a military brat. I understand the issues of global peace and security. That was the right vote.
Now fast forward to 2023, I have bipartisan support to repeal these authorizations. So sometimes you have to take a stand and I think that’s what’s important about that vote. During difficult challenging times, I’m going to take a stand for people and for what is right and that’s what people want to see in an elected official.
THE RECAST: The actor and activist Danny Glover endorsed you. Are you waiting for Sen. Bernie Sanders to back you, which many see as a key endorsement for any candidate seeking out the progressive lane?
LEE: Well I’ve got Jamie Foxx’s endorsement also.
I have some very significant endorsements that we will roll out. I would love Bernie’s endorsement. I would love anyone who would endorse based on who they know I am as a progressive, as somebody who’s going to stick to my progressive values, but also somebody who’s going to get the job done and work with everyone to make life better for Californians.
You can see what I did with President Bush, for example, with the global AIDS initiatives. That was my idea. He made it a priority. We’ve saved over 20 million lives as a result of my steady leadership, with Republicans in a bipartisan way to get the job done. … I was the first member to introduce the Marijuana Justice Act. So I just think when you look at my record, I’m gonna not just talk, but I’m gonna walk the walk and do what I can to make life better for everyone.
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Cheers to the beginning of the freakin’ weekend. Get caught up with some quick news, then rejuvenate with some pick-me-ups to round out your Fri-yay.
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